diff --git a/esp-hal/CHANGELOG.md b/esp-hal/CHANGELOG.md
index 9c1c4df95..f8437c351 100644
--- a/esp-hal/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/esp-hal/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 - Peripherals (where possible) are now explicitly reset and enabled in their constructors (#1893)
 - SHA driver now use specific structs for the hashing algorithm instead of a parameter. (#1908)
 - Reset peripherals in driver constructors where missing (#1893, #1961)
+- Remove `fn free(self)` in HMAC which goes against esp-hal API guidelines (#1972)
 
 ### Fixed
 
diff --git a/esp-hal/src/hmac.rs b/esp-hal/src/hmac.rs
index 5016a189a..200690e6e 100644
--- a/esp-hal/src/hmac.rs
+++ b/esp-hal/src/hmac.rs
@@ -109,10 +109,6 @@ impl<'d> Hmac<'d> {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn free(self) -> PeripheralRef<'d, HMAC> {
-        self.hmac
-    }
-
     /// Step 1. Enable HMAC module.
     ///
     /// Before these steps, the user shall set the peripheral clocks bits for